Everyday prayers

Last week I wrote about prayer and included some of the reader call responses I received prior to planning the cover story on prayer for The Lutheran 's April issue. Check out those articles and share your prayer experiences either here or on the article comment forms.

Here are still a few more of the responses that came in. I knew many different experiences of prayer existed. I knew, too, that lots of people feel guilty because they don't have what they consider to be a regular prayer life. But as last week's blog and this one's show, people approach prayer in such a variety of ways. It's just important that you find what works for you, whether that's daily, several times a day, occasional or whatever it is. The type of prayer is as individual as the time and place.

Joretta K. Klepfer of Greensboro, N.C., had hoped to write an article for the cover story; but when I heard from her, the articles were already assigned. The journaling she has done with her prayers has resulted in a small book, Just Pray! Joretta has found the answers to prayer to be full of surprises.

Mary Ann Johnson, director of community and foundation relations at the Lutheran Services for the Aging in Salisbury, N.C., sent along a story about 88-year-old Mimi Parrott. This resident of Salisbury's Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks remembers being at a women's reteat in 1976, praying, when God came to her. "It was the Holy Spirit, and I felt at peace," Parrott said, adding that it was then that she smiled and gave her life to God. And she is still smiling and praying. "Prayer," she smiles, "it's life made easy."

Gustave Wolf, member of St. Nicholas Lutheran in Huntingtown, Md., admits to often praying in the shower. "Something about getting wet and clean strikes a familiar chord when I shower. I'm talking/confessing/praising and thanking my God for all we have." I am sure he's not the only one who connects shower water with water images in our faith life.

And Blairanne Revak, member of Victory Lutheran in Mesa, Ariz., tells about her walking prayer time when her husband had cancer. She says that through prayer God gave her "strength, clarity of heart and thought so I could go on to absorb the voluminous work and family backbone that was to be my day the next 18 months." She adds that "Years later I still walk, I still talk, and my God is always there."